1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a parts feeding device for feeding parts to a parts mounting device.
2. Background Art
As a parts feeding device for feeding parts to a parts mounting device, conventionally, known is the type disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-24386 (“Patent Document”). The parts feeding device disclosed in this patent document is used in a state of being equipped to the parts mounting device, and feeds quad flat package (QFP) and other package-type electronic parts (hereinafter simply referred to as the “parts”) in a state where the parts are housed in a tray.
This parts feeding device comprises a magazine housing, in a plurality of upper and lower levels, pallets each having the tray mounted thereon, and a retrieval portion which is provided movably in a vertical direction at a position in front of the magazine, and retrieves the pallets from the magazine and retains the pallets.
With this parts feeding device, parts are fed as follows. Foremost, the retrieval portion moves to the position of the pallet on which the intended tray is mounted, and retrieves the pallet, together with the tray, from the magazine, and retains the pallet. Subsequently, by the retrieval portion moving in the upward direction, the tray is disposed at a predetermined parts feeding position. More specifically, the head on the parts mounting device side disposes the tray at a predetermined height position (parts feeding position) which enables the retrieval of the parts. It is thereby possible to feed the parts on the tray to the parts mounting device. After the parts are fed, the retrieval portion performs the reverse operation of the operation described above, and returns the tray to its original position in the magazine. Note that, when there are no more parts on the tray as a result of all parts being fed, the tray is returned to its original position in the magazine, the retrieval portion retrieves a new tray (pallet) housing parts from the magazine and moves the new tray (pallet) in the upward direction so as to dispose the tray at the predetermined parts feeding position.
With the conventional parts feeding device, the head is unable to retrieve the parts (next parts) in the tray until the head on the parts mounting device side retrieves the parts, the tray of the parts feeding position is thereafter returned to the magazine, and a new tray is pulled out from the magazine and disposed at the parts feeding position. Thus, it is often the case that the head is subject to a standby time, and the parts feeding device was unable to contribute to an efficient mounting operation. In particular, in cases where the same parts are housed in one tray and different parts (different types of parts) are to be continuously fed, since the foregoing insertion/removal operation of the tray into and from the magazine is repeatedly performed, there was concern of deteriorating the mounting efficiency.